Your DG’s Thoughts for September 2025
Don’t know about y’all—but for me, summer always flies by! September brings Chiefs and college football season, hopes that the Royals push into October, and most importantly, Rotary highlights worth celebrating.
Rotary’s September Theme – Basic Education & Literacy
September is Rotary Basic Education and Literacy Month. What is your club doing to support education and literacy in your community?
👉 For inspiration, new ideas, and resources, check out the Basic Education and Literacy Rotary Action Group at belrag.org.
Three Requests for Our Members!
- Please let us know what your club is doing to support Basic Education and Literacy.
- Public Image Resources. Visit our new District Public Image Tab https://rotary5710.org/sitepage/public-image-resources. Thanks to Stephanie Gassen (Topeka Rotary) and Bill Musgrave (Olathe-Santa Fe Rotary), you’ll find excellent tools for your club. Also, don’t forget to follow our Facebook page: Rotary Clubs of Eastern Kansas.
- Enjoy the new newsletter format. Thanks to Mandy Sheldon, the redesign makes it easier to navigate. Each month, you’ll find practical insights from our Membership, Foundation, and Public Image teams.
District Conference – Almost Sold Out!
Mark your calendars for September 18–20 at the Hyatt Conference Center. Our District Conference is nearly at capacity—so if you haven’t registered, do it today!
A huge thanks goes to our co-chairs, Roxann Kerr Lindsey and Rick Robinson of the Leawood Club, for their dedication and leadership. This will be a fantastic event you don’t want to miss.
TEAM Training – A Huge Success
Our TEAM Training in Lawrence was a fantastic day of collaboration and learning, with 84 Rotarians in attendance. I have heard from several members that this year was one of the best.
Special thanks to our District Trainers, DeEtte Lombard and Ellen Bogdan (Leavenworth Rotary), and to Mandy Sheldon for the behind-the-scenes coordination. Sessions on Club Action Planning, membership, public image, and the Rotary Foundation gave us all inspiration and practical strategies. Special praise and thanks to all of our facilitators for their content and for helping us all learn from each other.
TEAM Training was a wonderful day to celebrate Rotary and all we stand for.
Service Above Self Award
The highlight of the day was Immediate Past District Governor Tamara Sevcik presenting Rotary’s highest honor—the Service Above Self Award—to District Trainer DeEtte Lombard.
DeEtte, we are incredibly proud of you and grateful for all you do for our district and your club. Your award is richly deserved!
Rotary International Club Excellence Awards
At TEAM Training, nine clubs earned the Rotary International Club Excellence Award for 2024–2025: Gardner, Leavenworth, Leawood, Lenexa, Manhattan, Manhattan Konza, Overland Park, Shawnee, and Topeka. BIG congratulations to these clubs, their presidents, and members for hard work and outstanding achievement!
Looking ahead, my hope is for all 39 clubs in our district to receive this award in 2025–2026. To earn the RI Club Excellence Award, clubs must:
- Pay RI and district dues in full & on time.
- Enter at least 13 goals in Rotary Club Central in My Rotary.
- Achieve at least 13 of those goals.
So far, half of our clubs have entered goals. If your club hasn’t yet, please consider entering them. Need help, reach out to Mandy Sheldon.
Club Visits – A Warm Welcome
In July and August, I visited 15 amazing Rotary Clubs. Each has its own traditions and culture, but all are united by Service Above Self.
Please visit the Facebook pages or websites of these clubs to see their awesome service projects: Ambassador, Baldwin City, Burlington, DeSoto, Lawrence, Leawood, Olathe-Santa Fe, Ottawa, Overland Park, Spring Hill, Topeka, Topeka North, Topeka South, and Valley Heights-Blue Rapids.
Thank you all for your hospitality and welcome. I look forward to visiting the remaining 27 clubs, satellites, and our Rotaract Club soon!
Sharing Ideas Across Clubs
One of the joys of traveling the district is great things & ideas our clubs are doing serving others, raising funds, and growing their clubs. Each month, I’ll share one or two for other clubs to consider.
Here is one that the Burlington Club shared. They are planning to have a membership coffee in conjunction with their local Coffee County Chamber of Commerce one evening. Since the Chamber director is also a Rotarian, it is a natural partnership. Other clubs might explore similar collaborations—whether through service projects, Chamber events, or socials like Pints for Polio.
Looking Ahead –
October Rotary Theme is Community Economic Development Month, and World Polio Day on October 24. Many clubs are already planning events—like Pints for Polio—
Beginning with the October newsletter, I plan to highlight one of our District Action Plan Priorities (Engage, Reach, Impact, and Adapt) showing how these plans can help our club grow.
Thank you for your commitment to Rotary. Y’all continue to inspire me. Together, let’s keep moving forward United for Good!
Olayinka (Yinka) Hakeem Babalola of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Rivers State, Nigeria has accepted the nomination and will immediately become the Rotary President Elect. His term as President will begin 1 July 2026.